MORE THAN A TITLE
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May 2000
Many people today are running around proclaiming they are Christians. I want you to know that there are those who go to church, they sit in the seats of the congregation, but they lack a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Being a Christian is more than a title. It is a way of life. It is a way of thinking and a way of doing. James 1:22-25 says, "But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word, this one will be blessed in what he does."
We are to walk the walk of Christ, to strive to be more Christ like. When we do look, do we see Christ, to join Him where He is at work? Church is just one part of the walk. It doesn't make you a Christian. Trusting in religiosity will not save you from the death penalty that sin brings upon you. Only by placing faith in Jesus Christ will you have eternal life; not only that, but also God, the Great Judge, will find you justified before Him in Christ!
The finished work of Jesus Christ, the shedding of His blood, atoned for out sin, but we must come to Him, confess with our mouth our sins and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Romans 10:9-13 says, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart the God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For scripture says whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For whoever calls on the Lord shall be saved."
I wanted to add this in to show the importance of calling on the Lord to be saved to have a personal relationship. It is our personal relationship with Jesus Christ that saves us from eternal punishment, which is separate and outside of God.
Those who attend church and think that all roads lead to God, well, they are wrong! Only the Lord Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Being a Christian is more than a title. It is who you are, what you say, think and do in Christ. Our actions in Christ define our attitude in Christ. If we claim to be Christians, but still desire to go and willfully sin against God (for example, a person may get off work, go to the bar and drink, then that person will most likely drive home drunk, get home late, be abusive or make a complete donkey out of themselves), we have to ask ourselves, "Is this something Christ would do?" I don't think so! If you claim the title then you need to look in the mirror to see if Christ, to see what kind of person Christ wants you to be; that is, to be holy and righteous in Him. The Apostle Paul said it is no longer I who live, but Christ in me. John 1:12 says, "But as many are received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name."
Many people nowadays want to follow a life where they really don't have to worry about accountability and sin. They say, "No matter what I do I'm okay because all roads lead to God." This is an extremely dangerous path, a deadly position to take for it will lead to an eternal death and it is not what the title of a Christian means. We need to walk in Christ Jesus not in any other. The Way is Jesus Christ. We need to abide in Christ and He will abide in us. When we look into the mirror, we need to see Jesus and remember who we are, children of the Living God, heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, Advocate, Redeemer, Brother and King. Being a Christian is more than a title. It isn't a fad or a trend. It is a way of life-a life of righteousness and life eternal, a life that offers great things of God.
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Maybe you know someone who claims the title in your church but doesn't have the personal relationship. Share with them what Christ has done for you and what it means to be a Christian. Let's not be the Sunday mask-wearing, title-claiming Christians; but one who does look in the mirror and continues in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(c)2000 by Pastor Aaron D. Lint
